Vizcaya Bridge - Romanticism in Iron!

Iron can also be romantic. Eiffel Towe is one of those pieces, but if I have to chose, I prefer the Vizcaya Bridge, not only for the beauty but for the utility, transporting people from both banks of a mouth of a river. The only way for two cities to meet!

People of Portugalete are proud of this metallic bridge. The origins of the Bridge go right back to the end of the 19th century, when the industrial revolution arrived to Basque Country.

The objective behind the construction of the Vizcaya Bridge was to link the two banks of the mouth of the river Nervión without hindering the shipping.

The Vizcaya Bridge was the first shuttle bridge built in the world made with a metallic structure. It is situated at the mouth of the Ibaizabal River, at the point where Bilbao’s navigable estuary opens out to the sea up to the 19th century. It was inaugurated on 28th July 1893 and was designed to join, with its massive iron structure, the towns of Portugalete and Getxo, one with a steep rocky bank and the other with a low sandy bank. When it was built it facilitated communications between these two summer resorts without interrupting the shipping in one of Europe’s busiest river shipping ports.

An engineering marvel of its time, a sheet iron dream that went beyond its own vital pragmatism and the mundane discussions, and became the symbol of an entire region, of an entire people. Now, Te Bridge is considered one of the greatest monuments of the Industrial Revolution and one of the few surviving representatives of that period.

I think it’s still a marvelous piece of art as its Eiffel Tower. Just waiting for the cabin to go to the other part is just a fantastic experience. The two sides of the river were too separated during the years and this was the only way to visit your friends on the other side.

The promenade all along the river also worth the visit. The houses are pretty nice and at the end you’ll find the industrial port.

On 13th July 2006, the World Committee of UNESCO declared the Vizcaya Hanging Bridge a World Heritage Site saying:

A spectacular and aesthetically pleasant addition to the river estuary and an exceptional expression of technical creativity reflecting a completely satisfactory relationship between form and function.

In other words, a surprising work which perfectly combines beauty, aesthetics and functionality.

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